Ruminations on Life, the Universe and Everything... But mostly, Pakistan and Pakistani media...

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

No Jokes Please, We're Fashionable

Pakistanis, in general, have little tolerance for satire about themselves. That is why political humour programmes on television usually have to preface their episodes with a disclaimer, labeling them clearly as satire and not to be taken seriously. But of all Pakistanis perhaps none are as dour, humourless and self-righteous as members of the fashion 'fraternity' (let's just say this fraternity is no Animal House). For all their claims of 'playfulness' and 'fun' in their designs, they are one acidic and sour lot when at the receiving end of even good-natured ribbing.

Witness the indignant response to Express Tribune's rather funny April 1st joke on its Lifestyle pages. ET's April Fool prank 'broke' the news that the Lahore-based Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) and the Karachi-based Fashion Pakistan (FP) - often roundly criticized for making their own daerrh eenth ki masjidein - were to merge, and carried fake quotes from prominent designers welcoming the move.

"We, the Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC), Fashion Pakistan (FP) and Libas International, are writing to you in complaint of the false story published in The Express Tribune’s Life & Style Pages dated April 1, 2011.

We take strong exception to the false, incorrect, baseless, inaccurate statements and information based on conjectures and surmises, supported by statements of renowned industry personalities, which have been reported as established facts without soliciting our, or indeed anyone’s, confirmation as to the authenticity or veracity of the contents published in the aforesaid story.

This story is misleading and, in fact, represents a complete falsification of material. It also used and distorts a logo (of Libas International) without the consent of the logo copyright holder (Sehyr Saigol), infringing copyright and intellectual property rights therein.

Further, the story published has portrayed us as non-law abiding citizens and has exposed us to the threat of possible legal action by falsely reporting that the PFDC and FP are merging.

Amir Adnan (CEO of FP), Sehyr Saigol (Chairperson of the PFDC), Kamiar Rokni (member of the executive committee of the PFDC) and Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (member of the executive committee of the PFDC) shall hold your newspaper liable for any consequential damage to their reputation, and would like to strongly establish herewith that any and all information attributed to their names within this piece is false and a misrepresentation of fact and of their nature.

It is disappointing that a well-reputed newspaper such as yours has overlooked ethics and relevant laws, especially those pertaining to libel, and has published this story. We demand that you tender an apology to all the parties misrepresented and misquoted herewith and publish the same, along with a retraction of all misinformation and misquotations.

You just can't make this shit up. Not only do the we-take-ourselves-so-seriously authors not exhibit the slightest clue that the piece in question was quite obviously a prank (if nothing else, the organogram that posited that the 'bad boy of fashion journalism' Mohsin Sayeed would be the new 'Chairperson for Life' in the new set-up might have provided a clue to anyone with half a brain), or show any circumspection about the date of publication, do not miss the self-righteous threats of legal action and claims of 'damage to their reputations'. After this patently idiotic letter, you may well wonder, what reputations? Certainly none involving a sense of humour it would be safe to say.

Say it slowly, in bold type, they're not the sharpest scissors in the drawer

I can sympathise with ET completely on this one. Instead of tacking regrets on to that clarification, it must have taken a lot of restraint from the editor not to have said where he probably really wanted the fashionistas to put their letter. But I guess he didn't want to take on people who have single-handedly defeated the Taliban.

22 comments:

Its very sad to know that one of a renowned newspaper of Pakistan ET did this silly joke! well personally ET is gradually becoming more and more modern they use such unethical pictures in their posts and call themselves as liberal!And you've done a great job, nice post!

@Noor : How long does it take to become a "renowned newspaper"? I thought it'd take more than one month of publication. My soon-to-be-launched The Great Pakistan Newspaper is already a "renowned newspaper" of record.

Yeah the humourless nature of these fashionistas is kind of appropriate, since they have and did thrive under military dictatorships (Ayub and Musharraf for example). Ayub was pretty humourless and Musharraf could turn out to be when you asked him when he was leaving and how fast.

No wonder it was brain dead fashion people who were paraded around to advertise the "Oh So Modern" aspect of these two dictatorships. Appropriate.

This thread is so sad. It was clearly meant to be a humorous piece about a little prank. I call it little 'cause the google prank dwarfs this by a...well huge margin. Fashion ppl are sad. And so are the ppl who think ET is sad.

hi all... while i'm normally all for practical jokes (especially ones in newspapers), i can see why both fashion councils were upset by this particular prank. moreover, having worked in newspapers (both abroad and in pakistan), i can point out at least two issues of a legal nature with this particular prank.

for starters, when newspapers abroad create april fools prank stories, they do not make up quotes. ever. usually they'll invent the person being quoted - however, creating a quote on behalf of a real person (especially a well-known person) is clear grounds for libel.

also, as a copyrighted logo, it is actually illegal to reproduce the libas logo (not to mention distort it) without prior permission.

finally, it is common practice for the story to contain some kind of disclaimer (often to protect the publication against legal action).

now, did the councils over-react? perhaps. but before making such a judgement, i think it's important to examine the context and background to the story. there has been a long history between the two councils - much of it fraught - and at a time when overtures of conciliation are being made, such a story can rock the boat.

i also know from firsthand experience that the story *was* taken seriously by *many* prominent figures (politicians, bankers etc) who are NOT fashionistas - it's easy to forget it's April Fool's day. And this can have a direct monetary effect on the councils' sources of funding.

so yes, while the fashionistas no doubt take themselves seriously, i do think it's important to also see why a *serious* newspaper would not make up quotes - even if they did create a satirical story.

anon above: 'i also know from firsthand experience that the story *was* taken seriously by *many* prominent figures (politicians, bankers etc) who are NOT fashionistas - it's easy to forget it's April Fool's day. And this can have a direct monetary effect on the councils' sources of funding.'

Good Lord, I have always maintained these fashionistas are such airheads and now they have themselves burst the bubble (pun intended)... have to say this...sadly despite the modern facade they are still paindoos at heart... tch tch. We will never prosper or progress until we learn to laugh at ourselves, have a heart people, chill out, dont take yourself that seriously. In this country of 17 million souls, not even one percent know you guys exist... well maybe thanks to the lawn billboards this year maybe 20% have heard the names, but over 80% dont even get decent clothes to wear what to talk about fashion... hehhe...'so who dýou think you're fooling, you say you're having fun, but you're busy going nowhere... just lying in the sun"

Nope, I don't buy it. April fool is a Western thing. It is not a common practice in our part of the world. and please don't tell me that not knowing Western customs is being ignorant or 'backward' if that had been the case, West would have been the most ignorant.this April fool thing that ET came up with was insipid and ersatz.PS. By West I mean the developed countries of the West. I don't mean to treat West as a monolithic entity.

Hi. Innocent (unbiased) bystander here. You guys need to understand one fundamental, indisputable, point: Our economy is in dire straits. Why was the April 1st spoof not directed towards our President and his newest conquest? Or the Chief Minister's penchant for Anne Summer's merchandise? We are a very few trying to boost (?), sustain, help, our economy. OK, so fashion is not "serious" for you bloggers, but you have to understand that your frusration and anger CANNOT be directed towards people trying to eke out an existence in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Instead, it should be directed towards the Mohsin Habibs of this country (a former friend of mine) who used to drive a Cultus a few years ago, and now party's with Tara Reid in Monaco on his yacht bought by his father (the former Minister for Defence Spending). If you start targeting small business in Pakistan, you are rendering us a disservice. Maybe I don't like Maheen Khan (or Sehr Saigol for that matter) but surely you have bigger fish to fry!

Oh! And the ET is the biggest Mummy Daddy publication I have ever seen with a (National Enquirer) tabloid mentality just to get readership! Bad strategy by an ADD afflicted owner who sells tobacco for a living! We can live without third-class Karachi Grammar School Slam Books!

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